This invention relates to household refrigerators such as a combination refrigerator--that is, a refrigerator including a freezer compartment on top and a fresh food compartment below, both of which are cooled by circulating air from the two compartments over a single evaporator employing a single fan to accomplish the circulation. This invention relates to controlling the humidity of a storage container in the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator.
Combination refrigerators, including a single evaporator and a single fan for circulating air from the freezer and fresh food compartments over the evaporator are well known. In the operation of such refrigerators, a major portion of the refrigerated air from the evaporator is directed into the freezer compartment while a smaller portion is directed into the fresh food compartment. When cold air from the freezer compartment is used to cool the refrigerator compartment, such air, because of its relative dryness, should not directly contact the fresh foods as they will become dried out and lose their freshness. The fresh foods are desirably isolated from the desiccating effect of the colder air so that they may be kept cool, yet moist. Sealed compartments or pans have heretobefore been used for this purpose. It is desirable, however, that such pans have the humidity inside the pan adjustable or controllable to provide the desired humidity, depending upon the type of food load. The food load is the source of moisture inside the pan. Certain types of food have more moisture that will raise the humidity inside the pan as compared to other types of food. Moreover, certain types of food, such as green vegetables, should best be stored at a high relative humidity, while others should not. Also, different degrees of humidity are desirable according to the amount of food placed in the pan. Small loads tend to dry out more so than larger loads. Various arrangements have been used to adjust pan ventilation and, therefore, the humidity inside the pan. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,237,820; 2,306,802; 2,860,942 and 4,013,434.
By our invention, there is provided a humidity controlled pan assembly in a refrigerator whereby the user of the refrigerator may adjust the amount of humidity inside the pan.